Spindle oscillator



Ot- 15 1.929- H. ERNST Er A1. 1,731,482

SPINDLE OSCILLATOR Filed Dec. 9, 192e 2 sheets-sheet, 1

a@ WMM Oct. 15, 1929. H. ERNST ET Ax.

SPINDLE OSGILLATOR Filed Deo. 9 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ime/Miou ttoz n aq Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANS ERNST AND LESTER F. NENNINGR, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO CIN- CINNATI GRINDERS INCORPORATED, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION vOF omo I SPINDLE oscILLA'ron Y Application aled'neeember 9, 1926. serial No. 153,660.

This invention rela-tes to improvements in Figure `is a fragmentary view of the comgrinding or like machinery and has particubined detent and valve actuator.

lar reference to a novel and improved mechanism for oscillating a spindle or other porlters of reference denote tion thereof.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of an hydraulic mechanism which may be satisfactorily utilized for imparting a slow` reciprocating motion to a rotary member, such as the supporting spindle of a grinding Wheel.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism which shall' be entirely self-contained and automatically7 1ml part movement in alternate directions to the oscillated device.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic mechanism which may be readily adjusted for different degrees of oscillatory movement from a very fine movement to one of considerable extent and in which the reversal shall at all times be positive in its operation.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of an improved lfluid pressure mechanism for imparting an, oscillatory movement to a spindle or like structure, in combination with improved pressure operated means ior controlling the reversal of di- 43o reetion of movement of theparts.

Other 'objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying` drawings, and it will be runderstood that We may make 'any modifications in the specific structural details hereinafter disclosed within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention. n y Figure 1 is a fragment-ary perspective View of the invention applied to a grinding maehinespindle.

Figure 2 is a vertical sec-tional view through the oscillating mechanism.

Figure 3 is a sectionalV View 0n the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

lFigure 4 is a sectional view of the control valve mechanism, and

to any other desired form of mechanism inv which a, relative oscillation of parts is desired'.

Secured to the journal bracket A as byv bolts 10 is the base flange 11 of the oscillator housing 12. The member 12 supports a thrust bearing v13 for engagement with a shoulder 14 on the spindle C, so that when the spindle is positively urged toward the right as view in Figure 2, and held in this direction the end thrust will be taken up by the bearing aforesaid and undue frictional retardation due to pressure holding the `s indle toward theright will be eliminated. t will be understood that the housing member. as.

an entirety is formed of several separable parts, including the portion which has been "particularly designated by the reference character 12, a cylindrical portion 15 and an end or cap plate portion 16, these several parts being secured together as a unit through the medium of the clamp bolts'17. The portion 15 is chambered as indicated at 18 and 19 'for example, to provide a circumscribing reservoir for the oil or other fluid used as the power transmitting or actuating medium. A ca plate 20 .provided with a liller plug 21 a ords ready access to this chamber for cleaning purposes or the like and for supply of the necessary fluid.. v r

Encircling the extension 22 of the grindin yWheel spindle in spaced relation thereto, is the sleeve 23 having an internal annular rib 24. Disposed on each'side of the rib 24 are ing up thrust imparted to the spindle through movement of the sleeve toward the left, While the thrust bearing 26 is disposed between the rib and the clamp nuts 28 on the end of the extension 22 and takes up the thrust tending to move the spindle toward the right. This sleeve is provided with a peripheral flange 29 at its inner end, slidably supported by the housing member 12. Mounted upon this sleeve is the piston proper 30,Lwhich will later be described in detail. A spacer sleeve 31 is disposed intermediate'the piston and end of the sleeve 23, the several parts being clamped together to move as a unit by the hollow nut 32 engaged on the threaded portion 33 of the sleeve. A stud screw 34, see Figure 3, carried by the portion 15 has its end slidably received in keyway 35 in the piston 30 to lock the piston member against rotative movement, while permitting of its longitudinal sliding or oscillation. A

It will be noted that piston 3() is in direct sliding engagement at its ends with the inner Wall of member 15, but has a central annular groove as at 41 in communication with the fluid reservoir 18. The piston is thus recip- .rocable between wall 42 of member 12 and wall 36 of member 16. Its movement Within these limits, however, may be varied and limitedby rotative adjustment of nut 37 on the terminal threaded portion 38 of spacer 31, inasmuch as contact between nut 37 and seat- 39 on c'ap member 16 limits the movement of the piston and associate parts toward the left. A locking device such as a slot and screw indicated at 40. in Figure 2, secures nut 37 in desired adjusted position by pinching the slot in the nut against contained threads on the spacing sleeves.

The, oscillation of the iston and thus of Vthe spindle is intended to e effected through the utilization of a self-contained pressure creating mechanism utilizing the fluid from the reservoir 18 for actuating purposes. Primarily, this mechanism comprises a pair of plunger pumps ably supported in the pump cylinders 44 of the iston 30 and associate parts and have their inner ends projecting into engagement with the double lobed cam 45, preferably formed integral with or securedupon the spindle extension" 22. Springs 46 serve to urge the plungers inward, while rotation of the cam 45 with the grinding machine spindle causes the actuating or pressure stroke of the plunger. It will be noted that by having oppositely disposed plungers and a symmetrical cam the two plungers will at all times oppose each other in their pressure and suction strokes, thus minimizing the possibility of vibratory eect on the spindle or other mechanism. f

The operation of the pump pressure system will perhaps be best lunderstood by reference to Figure 2, showing the piston and 43 which are centrally slid.

pump plunger mechanism, and Figure 4 showing the valve controlling the flow' of Huid under pressure, together with a diagrammatic illustration of the conveyor lines for said fluid. From these it will be noted that y the reservoir 18-19 communicates through conduit 46 with the distributor groove 47 in the inner face of piston 30. From said groove fluid may be stroke as through conduits 48 controlled by the automatic ball or check valves 49. On the completion stroke the fluid just drawn in will be forced through passage 50 and past check valve 51 into the conduit 52 and annular distributor passage 53 to the valve casing 54. It will -be noted that the line 53 branches into portion 53 extended to the right hand side and 53" extending to the left hand side, these passages terminating in the annular distributor grooves 55. The valve casing and contained valve it will be noted are disposed within the body of piston 30 but eccentrically disposed as respects thereto.

The valve mechanism includes a valve rody 56 having at one end a piston valve 57' and at the other the piston valve 58. Loosel;ymounted upon the rod intermediate said valves is a combined valve and actuator mem ber 59. The casing 60 and 61 at its ends in which the piston valves slide.

When the parts are in the position indicated in Figure 4, the flow of fluid is from reservoir 19 or exhaust line- 62 through the drawn on the suctionv pump mechanism to line 53. T hence it passes 1 through 53v into cylinder 61 and via rhamber 63 to passage or port 64, discharging fiito the space 65 between'the end of the piston and the Wall 36 of the ca'p plate member. This pressure will therefore tend Ito move the piston to the left, shifting With it the spindle to be oscillated. To retain the Afluid under pressure within chamber 63 so that it may perform this work, the supplemental valve member 59 is utilized, it having a face 66 seated against the wall ofrthe chamber to. seal in the pressure. A spring pressed ball detent 67 actuated by spring 68 is engaged .in notch 69 o member 59 to hold same to the right. The pressure exerted fby/ spring 68y is sulcient to resist movement of member 59tending to release pressure in chamber 63.

to ipe 62.

owever, when the piston has reached its limit of movement t-o the left, the continued rotation of the grinding wheel spindle will build up an increasing pressure in line 53. This pressure will react against member 59 moving this member to the left and raising the spring actuated detent 67 on rib 74. The pressure escape around the valve face 66 is sufliciently slight sol that the building up of pressure in chamber 63 will be sufficientv to move member 59 to the left until the ball rides over the crest of the rib and into groove 7 During this movement of member 59,

the valve rod 56 and piston valves have been stationary, dueto the lost motion action present. At the point just mentioned, however, the end of member. 59 will now be in contact with piston 57 when the combinedaction of the pressure and the bodily forcibleaction of ball 67 on the inclined face of notch will shift member 59 and the piston rod' 56 with attached valves as a uniti This unitary shifting of the parts will move valve 57 away from pressure inlet 53 when the pressure may flow from groove 55 through chamber 72 and passage or port 71 into the chamber 70, reversing the direction of movement ofthe piston. At the same time valve 58 will have been shifted to close pressure inlet 53 when the fiuid previously forced into chamber 55 may reverscly flow through passage 64 and thence from chamber 63 through the main central chamber to outlet passage 62. 'Y

In the shifting movement of the parts just described the member 67 serves to retain member 59 against movement in either direction until asuitable actuating pressure has been built up when the initial movement of member 59 under influence of the pressure cams ball 67 upward placing an additional load or compression force on spring 68 until the high point of the central rib 74 is reached. At this point the ball moving over the crest of the rib acts as a load and lire valve operating mechanism, which has been loaded by initial movement of member 59 which has not as yet actuated on the valve. At this point however, the expansion of the spring rapidly res or accentuates the movement of member 59 causing it to have sudden impact with and rapidly to shift or reverse the fluid controlling valve.

'When the piston has reached its limit of 'stroke to the right, a similar action reversing the valve will take place and the several parts will then be reshifted to the position as illustrated in Figure 4. l

It will thus be seen that by supplying of a constant volume to the pressure lines the lnechanical or other limitation of movement of the grinding wheel spindle will cause a building up of the actuating pressure and when predetermined pressure has been built up the valve mechanism will automatically reverse itself to cause a movement of the piston and parts controlled thereby in a reverse direction.

In the event that it is desired to stop oscil-"' lation of the spindle, use is made of the manually controlled pressure relief valve 76.

This valve controls the pressure reliefport 77 in communication with chamber 7 O and is normally held closed as' by the knurled thumb screw 78. When the screw is released.

to allow the valve to operate under its normal spring pressure, the valve will keep a sufficient head of pressure in the system so that i this pressure will shift and hold the spindle toward the right, but an insufc-ient head,of

pressure to cause a reversal of the valve mechanism just described. The excess pressure will then flow through port -77 past valve 76 and be returned through passage 7 9 to the reservoir 18. W'hen it is desired to against start the oscillatory movement of the spindle it is merely necessary to hold valve ,76 against its seat as by tightening of screw We claimz- 1. A reciprocating mechanism for a grindpose described, including a reciprocable pis- `ton, a pump contained within the piston, a

reversing valve contained within the piston for controlling the direction of flow from the pump, and means for actuating the pump.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a spindle having an eX- tension, of a piston cylinder circumscribingV 'the extension, a plston movable within the cylinder, means for coupling the piston and extension for joint oscillatory movement, means securing the piston against rotation, a pump mechanism within the piston, means on the spindle for actuating the pump mechanism, and means within the pistonunit for controlling the flow from the pump to the cylinder to vary the direction of movement of .the piston.

4. A spindle oscillating unit, including a shiftable piston, contained fluid circulating means carried by the piston, and additional circulation varying means carried by the pist0n for controlling the direction of yactuation thereof.

5. A device of the character described, including a fluid actuated oscillatable piston, a cylinder therefor, a series of fluid conduits, includ-ing means for alternately directing actuating fluid against opposite ends of the pis-` ton, a reversing 'valve, and connections between the actuating fluid conduits andthe reversing valve for reversing the valve and directing the flow of the fluid to the opposite end of the cylinder when the built-up pressure in the receiving end ofthe predetermined amount.

6. -The combination with a grinding macylinder exceeds a chine, including a rotatable spindle, of means for oscillating the spindle, including a pressure cylinder, a piston intermediately shiftr able within the cylinder, means coupling the spindle and piston for joint oscillatory movement, a fluid circulating system, a` reversing'valve for directing the flow of fluid against either end of the piston as desired, a resilient valve firing mechanism, and a pressure connection for actuation of said mechanism when the pressure on` the actuated end ofthe piston exceeds a prescribed amount.

7. -The combination with an oscillatable machine tool' spindle, ofa iston coupled for reciprocation therewith, a uid'pressure pump actuated by rotation of the spindle, and a pressure operated automatic control mechanism for alternately directing the pressure against opposite ends of the piston for recipder pressure within the piston and a revers-' ing valve within the piston for alternately directing the fluid under pressure to opposite ends of the piston for reciprocation thereof, v

said valve including an actuating member movable with and relative to th'el fluid reversing portions thereof,y fluid pressure'conduits forming `a part of the circulating system and selectively directing pressure against the actuating member for causing such relative movement and additional mechanical means for effecting the joint movement of the parts.

1.0. A machine tool' spindle controlling mechanism, including a reciprocable piston,

a fluid circulation system for actuation of the piston, a pressure actuable valve for reversing the -system and adjustable means for reducing the resistance ii one side ofthe system below the pressure required for actuation of the reversing mechanism.

11. A mechanism of the character described, includin a cylinder, a piston oscillatable in the'cy inder l a fluid pressure system having high and low pressure portions alternately couplable withopposite ends of v the piston, a reversing valve controlling the coupling of the high and low pressure sides, `connections between the valve and cylinder ends for-actuation of the valve on excess of pressure in either end of the cylinder, and

adjustable means for reducing the pressure in one end of the cylinder below Lan amount necessary for actuation of the reversing valve.

12. An oscillating mechanism of the character described, including a cylinder and a piston sliiftable within the cylinder, a pump mechanism contained within the piston for production of fluid pressure, means for continuously actuating the pump, a fluid supply in constant. communication vwith the inlet oscillating mechanism surrounding the extension and including a piston cylinder and a contained piston, means coupling the piston and'spindle extension for joint axial movement, means securing the piston against rotary movement, a fluid circulating pump carried by tlie piston, means on the spindle for actuating the pump on rotation of the spindle, means for. directing fluid under ypressure. into'oppositc ends of the cylinder,

a reversing valve actuable by said fluid under pressure for alternately directing the pressure to opposite ends of the cylinder and manually actuable means for preventing reversal ofthe valve.

14. The combination with a machine tool spindle having an axial extension, of an oscillating mechanism surrounding the cxtension and including a piston cylinder and a contained piston, means coupling the piston and spindle extension for joint axial movement, means securing the piston against rotary movement, a fluid circulating pump carried by the piston, means on the spindle for actuating the pump on rotation of the spindle, l means for directing fluid under pressure into opposite ends lof the cylinder, a reversing valve actuable by said fluid under pressure for alternately directing the pressure to opposite ends of the cylinder, and manually actuable means remote from the valve for preventing actuation thereof.

15. The combination with a machine tool mechanism, of a self-contained oscillator therefor, including a reciprocable member,

.means carried by the member for generating an actuating force therein, and a self-contained reversing mechanism also carried by the oscillating device and operative on excess resistance to motion in a given direction to shift 'the device ina reverse direction.

16. A spindle oscillating mechanism' for a machine tool, including a piston couplable with the spindle, fluid pressure means for actuating the piston, a reversing valve controlling the direction ofl actuation of the' piston, means for adjustably limiting the movement of the piston in a given direction, means operable by building up of pressure on limitation of the movement of the piston for reversing said valve, a lost motion connection between said means and the valve, and a firing device cooperating with said lost motion'connection for positive shifting of the reversing valve. f

18. A spindle oscillating mechanism of the character described, including a piston, a

spindle coupled with the piston for axial movement therewith and rotatable relative thereto, pressure creating mechanism associated with the spindle and operable on roy tation thereof, means for selectively directing the pressure against opposite sides of the piston, means for limiting the movement of the piston in a given direct-ion, and means controlled by the created pressure for reversp ing the actuation of the piston subsequent to said limitation of movement thereof.

'19. `A spindle oscillating mechanism of the character described, including a iston, a spindle coupled with the piston or axial `movement therewith and rotatable relative thereto, pressure creating mechanism associated with the spindle and operable on rotation thereof, means for selectively directing the pressure against opposite sides of the piston, means for limiting the movement of the piston in a given direction, means controlled by the created pressure for reversing the actuation of the piston subsequent to saidlimitation of movement thereof, and manually operable means for rendering the pressure actuated reversing mechanism inoperative.

20. In a mechanismfor oscillating aspindle,"the ycombination with a spindle, of a piston operatively associated therewith, a pressure creating mechanism including a pump plunger, a cam on the spindle for actuating said plunger, a distributor valve for selectively directing the created pressure against either end of the piston, and a controller for the valve, comprising a supplemental piston' coupled'with the valve and operable by the actuating pressure, and means for selectively holding the controller inoperative against the pressure or accentuating the movement of the controller on building up of the pressure.-

21. A control mechanism fo'` a. device of the character described, comprising a valve casing having a plurality of pressure inlet, outlet-and exhaust orts, a slidable valve stem within the cham er having reversing'valve portions for selectively coupling .the outlet ports with either the pressure inlet or exhaust ports, supplement-al pressure chambers within the casing and a valve shifting member having a lost motion connection withv the valve stem and shiftable to form a closure for one or the other of the pressure chambers,

and a spring, detent normally holding the 22. A self-contained oscillating mechanism ofrthe character described, including a reciprocable double end piston, a spindle to be oscillated, means coupling the piston with the spindle, a cylinder for the piston providing a4 pair of pressure chambers, a fluid chamber surrounding the piston intermediately of the length thereof, a pump contained within the piston and actuablevby rotation of the spindle, a connection from the inlet side of the pump to said fluid chamber, a distributor valve mechanism carried by the piston, discharge passages leading therefrom through the piston to the opposed pressure chambers, and means for shifting the distributor valve for regulating the flow of fluid from the pump to the pressure chambers.

23. A self-contained oscillating mechanism of the character described, including a reciprocable doubleend piston, aspindle to be oscillated, means coupling the piston with the spindle, a cylinder for the piston, providing a pair of pressure chambers, a fluid chamber j surrounding the piston intermediately of the length thereof, a pump contained within the piston and actuable by rotation of the spindle, a connection from the inlet side of the pump to said fluid chamber, a distributor valve mechanism carried by the piston, discharge passages leading therefrom through the piston to the opposed lpressure chambers, an automatic reverslng valve in the distributor for regulating the flow and discharge of Huid from the pump to the pressure chambers, and pressure actuable mechanism in the controller chamber for operating the reversing Vof the piston to cause reciprocation thereof,

said means including a reversing valve actuable by built up pressure in the piston cylinder end to whichaotuating fluid is being supplied, and means for relieving said bullt up pressure to prevent actuation of the reversmg valve thereby, whereby the piston and thus the spindle will be held against oscilla'- toiy movement.

n testimony whereof we aix our signa,- tures. e

HANS ERNST. LESTER E NENNINGEE. 

